
ORATION 



GEN, JOHN C. SMITH, 

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF ILLINOIS, 



TOLEDO, OHIO, MAY 26, 1887. 



ORATION 



UNVEILING OF THE MONUMENT 



ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF 



MAJ. GEN. JAMES B. STEEDMAN 



By GEN. JOHN C. SMITH 



LIEUT. GOVERNOR OF ILLINOIS. 



At TOLEDO, OHIO, MAY 26 iS 



87. 



CHICAGO: 

PRINTED BY KNIGHT & LEONARD CO. 
1S87. 



, / 




6150* . 



s 



S 



ORATION. 



Mr. President, Ladies, Comrades, and Friends: 

IN studying the life and habits of the people of ancient 
times, we learn that one of their customs was the building 
of mounds of earth or stone over the remains of friends and 
loved ones, to mark, as well as to protect, the place of their in- 
terment. We also learn that, as these people advanced in civil- 
ization, they erected altars, monuments, memorial buildings,. 
and mausoleums over the graves of the deceased, or in some 
more favored spot, the better to perpetuate their memory. 
Thus they specially honored the rulers of the country, or the 
citizen who had performed distinguished services for the state, 
or the soldier who had won great victories over the public 
enemies on land or sea. 

The first recorded evidence we have of this custom is to be 
found in the Holy Bible, wherein we read the story of the 
patriarch Jacob and his wife Rachel, and learn that when she 
died " Jacob set a pillar upon her grave," to mark the place of 
her burial. 

So gradual has been the change from those rude mounds of 
ancient times to the monuments and mausoleums of the pres- 
ent, and so universal the custom, that we feel we are only per- 
forming a public and a sacred duty when we erect a monument 
to a great statesman or a memorial to our gallant soldiers. 
Public opinion has done much to bring about this commend- 
able custom, which, strengthened by our love of freedom and 
equal rights for all, has developed a grand and noble senti- 
ment, that awards its honors to the honest, though humble,, 
citizen who has performed some meritorious service, as un- 
grudgingly as to the distinguished official. 



In this age and in this country, the grave of the private 
soldier, unmarked save by the green verdure of nature or the 
wild flowers of the forest, is as sacred and honored as the 
stately shaft upon the banks of the Potomac, erected to the 
memory of the immortal Washington, or as the peaceful tomb 
on the majestic Hudson of that silent man, the invincible yet 
magnanimous conquerer of a great rebellion, Ulysses S. Grant. 
If there be a difference between these graves, it is but an out- 
ward difference, and such as time, place, and the means at our 
disposal may have caused. The soldier's grave is hurriedly 
made, perhaps by brave comrades and under a flag of truce, 
with such implements as were ready at hand ; the proud shaft 
is a gift of a grateful people in a time of peace and prosperity. 

Friends and fellow-citizens: I am pleased to see so many 
of you present at the unveiling of this monument — a monu- 
ment which has been erected to the memory of one who was 
the foremost volunteer soldier the State of Ohio gave to the 
cause of the Union in the War of the Rebellion. The people 
of this great state and this important commercial city, the 
friends and neighbors of the illustrious soldier whose memory 
this monument is intended to perpetuate, are to be congratu- 
lated upon its auspicious completion. 

All honor to him, the generous donor, your own citizen, 
the true and life-long friend of our departed hero, for this, his 
magnificent and liberal gift. To WILLIAM J. FlNLAY, the 
people of Toledo, of Ohio, and of the Nation, are indebted for 
this enduring monument which he has caused to be erected to 
soldierly valor — a monument of granite and bronze, materials 
typical of the lasting fame and sterling character of him whose 
deeds it is designed to perpetuate. 

To the sculptor, Alexander Doyle, great praise is due 
for the accuracy with which he has preserved the form and 
features of our hero for future generations. 

The children now gathered around us will long remember 
this day; and they and their children's children will ever point 
with pride to that bronze figure of one who, in the great Rebel- 
lion, stood firm for our glorious Union. They will point with 
pleasure to this monument, and say: "There is the statue of 
one who stood firm when others faltered; when others hesi- 



tated, he marched forward, and, leaving home, family, friends, 
and political affiliations, went eagerly forth to battle for our 
liberties, and die, if need be, in our defense." 

These monuments are silent, but potent and instructive 
monitors. They are worth more than volumes of recorded 
history to instruct the young and point the path of duty 
which leads the way to glory. What a reminder are they, 
my friends, of the gallant deeds performed by our citizen- 
soldiers in the hour of our national peril, and what lessons of 
patriotism they will teach our children in the coming genera- 
tions. What a glorious inspiration was the sight of the pyra- 
mids to the legions of France, and how well Napoleon knew 
its influence, as, riding down his lines, he exclaimed : " Sol- 
diers ! from those summits forty centuries contemplate your 
actions." Was he mistaken ? No ! No ! — for the bravery and 
endurance of his troops were soon put to a trying test, as ten 
thousand of those fierce Mamelukes, the finest cavalry in the 
world, rode down upon his solid squares of bristling steel. 
Not a line wavered, though the earth trembled under that wild 
charge ; not a soldier fell from the ranks as that whirlwind of 
death swept down upon them, but, grasping his musket more 
firmly, he awaited the onslaught. On, on, came the wild 
Mamelukes ; but to certain death on the point of the bayonet, 
and the veterans of France were again victorious. 

Far more inspiring than the pyramids of Egypt are these 
monuments to the memory of our brave soldiers. Unlike 
those vast structures erected by slaves to perpetuate the 
names of their rulers, these monuments are erected by free- 
men to the memory of the American soldier who fought in the 
defense of liberty and for the perpetuity of this great Nation. 
These monuments are not only testimonials to individual 
worth, but they serve as magnificent records of glorious deeds 
performed and gallant achievements successfully accomplished 
by our volunteer soldiers, for liberty, for country, and for 
mankind. 



JAMES BLAIR STEEDMAN, a major-general in the Volun- 
teer Arm) r of the United States ; born in Northumberland 
county, Pennsylvania, July 29, 18 17; died in this city, Toledo, 
Ohio, October 18, 1883. 

Such is the brief announcement of the birth, life, and death 
of one who rendered more than ordinary service to his coun- 
try in the great Rebellion of 1861-65, when 

" He stood where but few had the strength to stand, 
In the wild forefront of a giant time." 

He was of Scottish descent, of a race known everywhere 
for its industry, integrity, and bravery. Left an orphan at an 
early age, the eldest of three children, he promptly assumed 
the care and support of his brother and sister. His education 
was necessarily limited to a few months at odd times in the 
little log school-house in a country district. Anxious to per- 
form a man's labor and receive a man's .wages, he early 
learned the printer's trade, and at the age of seventeen we 
find him gathering up his little bundle of clothes — tying 
them in a handkerchief, as was the custom in those days- — 
and taking his departure from the newspaper office in Lewis- 
burg, Pa., where he had been working. His was an adventur- 
ous spirit, and many are the stories told by his friends and 
relatives of his boyhood's escapades. From Lewisburg, Pa., 
he tramped all the way to Louisville, Ky., doing odd jobs to 
pay his expenses in the towns he passed through. 

He was employed in Louisville upon the Journal^ a news- 
paper already made famous by that brilliant writer, George D. 
Prentice. There can be no question that he did his work well 
while in this office, as it was ever a fixed principle with him to 
do promptly and correctly all work assigned him- He not 
only met the expectations of Mr. Prentice, but he won his 
confidence and made of him a firm and lasting friend, for at a 
critical moment he defended him from a dastardly personal 
assault which grew out of the sharp controversy then at its 
height between the Journal and Democrat. 

Regarding this friendship of Mr. Prentice, it is said that, 
when General Steedman was ordered with his command to 
the defense of Louisville, in 1862, he found opportunity, when 



in that city, to take the band of the Fourteenth Ohio regiment, 
and serenade Mr. Prentice and the Journal office. After lis- 
tening to the music for a time, Mr. Prentice stepped out on the 
balcony of the office to acknowledge the compliment, and in- 
quired to what regiment the band belonged. The reply was, 
" Steedman's old regiment, the Fourteenth Ohio." " Where is 
Steedman?" asked Prentice. " Here he is," shouted the boys; 
and the general, going forward, was grasped heartily by the 
hand, and taken to the balcony, where the great journalist 
affectionately threw one arm over the general's shoulders, and 
said: "I thank you, General — I thank the men of your old 
regiment and this splendid band — for the handsome compli- 
ment paid me and my paper. I wish to say to you men of the 
Fourteenth Ohio, that you need never fear to follow where 
your commander leads, or go where he orders. General Steed- 
man is a brave man, and I know it." The boys cheered 
heartily, for they knew that Mr. Prentice spoke the truth, as 
had been proven more than once and upon several battlefields. 

Young Steedman did not remain long in Louisville, but 
leaving there in company with several other adventurous 
spirits, he joined the patriot army in Texas, where he barely 
escaped the massacre at the Alamo. The Texas war soon 
ending, he returned to his old home in Pennsylvania ; but 
after a brief visit, still anxious for a more active life, he re- 
moved to Ohio, which continued to be his home until his 
death. 

I will not enter into an account of his journey overland to 
California in 1849, an< ^ return a year later; nor of his experi- 
ence in Washington, as Public Printer, during the contest for 
supremacy by the pro-slavery leaders and their withdrawal 
from Congress, as these facts are familiar to most of you, pre- 
ceding as they did the great Rebellion. 

The call of Abraham Lincoln, April 15, 1861, " for seventy- 
five thousand men to suppress combinations too powerful to 
be suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings," 
found Steedman editing the Times, a Democratic newspaper 
published in this city. Having been a member of the Charles- 
ton Convention, and intimately acquainted with the leaders of 



the South, Steedman knew that secession was no idle threat. 
He immediately advocated enlistment, and set an example to 
the young by enlisting himself. It was but a short time after 
the call of the President that Steedman was found at the head 
of a regiment, the Fourteenth Ohio, and ready for duty. 

Engaged in the drill and discipline of his regiment, he 
received the following order: 

Headquarters Department of iiik Ohio, > 
Cincinnati, May 26, 1861. ) 

Colonel Steedman, commanding Fourteenth regiment, Mari- 
etta: You will, on receipt of this, cross the river and occupy 
Parkersburg. The Eighteenth (Ohio) regiment, at Athens, is 
ordered to report to you. You will at once move toward Graf- 
ton, as far as can be done with prudence, leaving sufficient 
guards at Parkersburg and the bridges as you advance. Avail 
yourself of the assistance of the armed Union men, preserve the 
strictest discipline, and do all in your power to conciliate. If 
you have to fight, remember that the honor of Ohio is in your 
hands. Communicate fully. See that the rebels receive no in- 
formation by telegraph. See that the rights of the people are 
respected, and repress all attempts at negro insurrection. 

Geo. B. McClellan, 

Major-General U. S. Army, Commanding Department. 

" Remember that the honor of Ohio is in your hands," was 
a command that Steedman never forgot; and right gallantly 
did he defend her honor. 

Colonel Steedman occupied Parkersburg, Va., May 27, and 
immediately pushed on toward Grafton, repairing and guard- 
ing the railroad as he advanced. He engaged the enemy at 
Phillippi; next, at Laurel Hill; and. supported by Milroy, he 
fought the battle of Carricksford, Jul)- 13, in which the rebel 
general Robert S. Garnett was killed. In this action, Colonel 
Steedman gave great promise of his future military skill, as by 
in\ strategy and bold fighting he not only won an important 
victory, but also drove a superior force of the enemy from its 
chosen line of defense. 

Shortly after this action Colonel Steedman was transferred 
to Kentucky, to the immediate command of Gen. George H. 
Thomas, then organizing for operations in East Tennessee. 



January 19, 1862, Steedman was engaged in the battle of Mill 
Springs, the first victory of the troops which were soon to 
form the heart of the grand Army of the Cumberland — an 
army destined to win imperishable glory under its first, as he 
was its last, commander, Gen. George H. Thomas. In this 
battle another promising Confederate officer was killed — a 
gallant Tennesseean — General Felix K. Zollicoffer. 

For soldierly ability displayed in this action, Colonel Steed- 
man was assigned to the command of a brigade, which he led 
at Shiloh and in the retreat back to Kentucky. July 19, 1862, 
Steedman was made a brigadier-general of volunteers, and after- 
ward participated in the battles of Perryville and Stone River. 
He led the advance of the left wing of Rosecrans's army in 
the Tullahoma campaign, but before reaching the Tennessee 
river he was assigned to the command of the First Division of 
the Reserve Corps. As it was when in command of this divis- 
ion that he made his great reputation as a soldier, I will enter 
more into the detail of this period. 

General Steedman joined his new command August 13, 
1863, headquarters being then on Elk river, below Tullahoma,, 
Tenn. August 20, he moved headquarters to Murfreesboro, 
stationing the troops along the line of the Nashville & Chatta- 
nooga Railroad from Murfreesboro to the Tennessee river, at 
Bridgeport, Ala. This assignment continued until early in 
September, when the movement to concentrate and report 
to General Rosecrans at the front was commenced. The third 
brigade, which had been prisoners of war, but was now ex- 
changed and returned to duty, was ordered along the railroad, 
and the troops which were relieved moved forward. Col. Dan 
McCook's brigade of Gen. James D. Morgan's division (the 
second) was ordered to Steedman, to take the place of the 
third brigade, Col. John Coburn, now on the railroad. The 
Twenty-second Michigan, Colonel LaFavour, and the Eighty- 
ninth Ohio, Colonel Carlton, were also assigned to the general. 

September 13, at 7 A.M., Steedman crossed the Tennessee 
river, marched up through the Wauhatchee, and across the Nose 
of Lookout Mountain, to Rossville, Ga., reaching that place at 
10 A.M. on the 14th, having marched the distance of thirty-six 
miles, over mountainous roads, in twenty-seven hours. 



IO 

The troops concentrated at Rossville under command of 
Steed man were : 

First Brigade, First Division, Gen. Walter C. Whitaker. 
Second Brigade, First Division, Col. John G. Mitchell. 
Second Brigade, Second Division, Col. Dan McCook. 
Demi-Brigade, Third Division, Col. Heber LaFavour. 

In all fourteen regiments of infantry, and three six-gun batter- 
ies of light artillery, all belonging to the Reserve Corps. 

A few incidents which occurred during the movements 
referred to, and before the battle of Chickamauga, gave me an 
insight into the character of General Steedman, and led me to 
a true appreciation of his sterling worth. 

During the brief stay of Whitaker's brigade at Bridgeport, 
a detail of one hundred men was made for police duty, and 
Captain W. F. Taylor, Ninety-sixth Illinois, was assigned the 
command. Organizing his men into working parties, the 
captain proceeded vigorously to perform the duty required. 
About noon, as General Steedman was riding by, he stopped 
to speak to the captain, and, pointing out some additional 
ground to be cleared, said, " Captain, there is much work to be 
done, and I wish you to be as expeditious as possible." Cap- 
tain Taylor, looking up in surprise, responded, " General, it is 
impossible for these men to do all that work to-day, and it will 
be necessary to have another detail." Leaving a staff officer, 
who had accompanied him, the general rode a short distance 
from the men, and motioning the captain to join him, replied, 
" Captain, don't you know that you do wrong to talk as you 
did in the presence of your men? You will be relieved at the 
proper time, and if the work is not done to-day, another detail 
will be made to-morrow." The captain answered that he had 
no doubt such would be the case, but he failed to see where he 
had done wrong in speaking in the presence of the men. 
" Your remarks," said the general, " were of such a nature as 
to lead the men to think they had been assigned a laborious 
task and were being imposed upon, thus causing them to be 
dissatisfied. Never do so again, captain, but encourage your 
men to do all they can, and I assure you they will not be im- 
posed upon." This was true courtesy, showing more than 



II 

ordinary care to avoid wounding the feelings of a subordinate 
officer, at the same time administering a gentle reprimand and 
preserving strict discipline. 

I recall another instance, where the general had unknow- 
ingly done an officer an injustice. Steedman had taken a liking 
to a soldierly-looking lieutenant, Halsey H. Richardson, and 
was pained when a report reached him that the lieutenant had 
entirely failed to carry out an order given him. Passing the 
column of troops, and seeing Richardson, the general had pub- 
licly reprimanded him. It so happened that my attention had 
been called to this matter. I had made an investigation, and 
learned that the order had been executed, so far as it was pos- 
sible, and that the facts fully warranted the action of the lieu- 
tenant. Speaking of this subject, as we were seated by a camp 
fire during the evening, I informed the general of the facts, 
whereupon his face brightened with pleasure, and, rising, he 
exclaimed, " Then I was misinformed, and I owe Lieutenant 
Richardson an apology." A few days later, as we were riding 
•along the line, the general made inquiry for the lieutenant. 
He was found in the ranks of the men who had so recently 
witnessed his humiliation. Then Steedman addressed him as 
follows: " Lieutenant, I am informed by Major Smith, of my 
staff, that my orders to you a few days ago were executed so 
far as you were able to execute them. The information I pre- 
viously received was not correct ; upon that information I 
reprimanded you in the presence of your men ; I now know 
.you did as you were directed, so far as it was possible. I was 
then wrong and you were right, and I now make this acknowl- 
edgment to you in the presence of your men." Taking off 
his hat, he continued, "And I desire, lieutenant, to make this 
apology to you as public as the reprimand, and I beg of you 
to forget the injustice I did you on that occasion." This is a 
splendid exhibition of Steedman's sense of justice and scrupu- 
lous regard for the feelings of a subordinate who could not 
defend himself. 

While this noble trait of character was often exhibited by 
Steedman in his intercourse with subordinates, there was no 
cringing before superiors. To those in rank above him he 
was courteous, obeying every order relating to his command 



12 

as cheerfully as though he fully approved or had written the 
same himself. There was no fawning sycophancy in Steed- 
man- — no gushing profession of approval — but a cool, quiet, 
and soldierly obedience. If his opinion was sought, it was 
frankly given ; and if it differed from that of his commander, 
it was modestly but firmly maintained. 

He delighted in responsibilities; they never excited or 
alarmed him. He was ready for them, and promptly assumed 
them. Steedman never wasted time in looking for an oppor- 
tunity; he made the opportunity. 

I have said that Steedman delighted in responsibilities. 
Let me relate an instance or two in which he assumed them, 
though in doing so he opposed and nullified the orders of a 
superior officer. 

While he was in command at Triune, Tenn., there came 
within his lines a superior officer and his troops. This officer 
was a brave man, and well known for the hard blows he 
always gave the enemy. The officer's wife and child had 
been upon a train between Nashville and Murfreesboro but a 
few days previous, when the train had been ditched and fired 
into by a band of guerrillas. The consequence was an order 
to burn and destroy all property and buildings which might 
afford shelter or comfort to the enemy. This order embraced 
the residence of a Mr. Claybrook, a law-abiding and loyal citi- 
zen, residing near Steedman's camp, and a mounted detail was 
sent to fire it. When the general heard of this order and its 
attempted execution, he denounced it as an outrage, and im- 
mediately sent a superior force, arrested the officers and men 
charged with this duty, and released them only upon the 
rescinding of their orders. This prompt action saved Mr. 
Claybrook's residence, and caused a sharp controversy between 
the two general officers, the one insisting that the property 
should be destroyed and the other that it should not; General 
Steedman declaring that, "unless for good cause," neither the 
general commanding nor any other officer should destroy 
property within the lines of his command ; and they didn't. I 
think that you will admit that this was assuming a responsi- 
bility. Not only was the order of a superior officer set aside, 
but the command charged with its execution was arrested and 



1 3 

held until the order was withdrawn ; and the general officer 
afterward admitted that Steedman was right. 

Only a few days before the battle of Chickamauga, I saw 
Steedman assume a greater responsibility than the one I have 
just related, and the prompt and fearless manner in which he 
did it made him invincible in that action. The command at 
Rossville numbered about six thousand rank and file, of which 
two-thirds were reported to Thomas on Sunday noon, one 
brigade (McCook's) being left in reserve, but Steedman's mag- 
nificent and soldierly presence made that command equal to 
ten thousand. Following the forced march over Lookout 
Mountain, there was a scarcity of food, and the men com- 
menced foraging for subsistence — a few nubbins of corn, a 
bunch of string beans, a piece of smoked meat, or a Georgia 
hog, too thin for old Satan to have ever entered, were all the 
boys could find to fill out their scanty rations. A major- 
general who was with the command determined to stop this 
foraging, and detailing his escort he ordered them to picket 
the roads leading into Steedman's camp, and arrest every man 
found outside. The men arrested were brought before this 
officer, and closely questioned as to where they had been and 
what they had been doing. If the answers were satisfactory 
and no provisions or forage found in their possession, they 
were released and ordered to their command. If otherwise, 
their coats were taken off, the men were tied to trees or picket 
rope, so long as cordage could be found to tie them with, and 
when this failed they were required to shoulder rails, wood, or 
anything to hold them in place and punish them. This con- 
tinued until one hundred or more were collected, when a staff 
officer of this major-general, the provost-marshal, was ordered 
to give each man twenty-five lashes upon his bare back. Gen- 
eral Steedman and several of his staff had been silent wit- 
nesses of this outrage until the order was given to flog these 
men; thereupon, Steedman quietly arose from his camp stool, 
walked over to his superior officer, and said : " General, I sug- 
gest that twenty-five lashes are rather severe, and think that 
twenty would do as well." The major-general, with much pro- 
fanity, refused to change the order, and directed the provost- 
marshal to proceed, but after much persuasion on the part of 



14 

Steedman the number was reduced to twenty. Having gained 
this point, Steedman then suggested that fifteen lashes would 
be sufficient. Warm words followed; but Steedman was again 
successful, and the order was finally given for fifteen lashes, 
with the positive assurance that under no circumstances would 
the men be released from this punishment. General Steed- 
man, who had again seated himself, now arose, and buttoning 
his coat, as only a soldier does when going into action, ad- 
vanced toward his superior officer, saying: "General, those 
soldiers belong to my command ; they were under no restric- 
tion as to leaving camp. There were no orders forbidding 
their foraging, providing they did not molest the loyal citizens. 
They are short of rations, and were permitted to do as they 
have done. They are American soldiers, and no man has the 
right or authority to flog an American soldier. It is in violation 
of the Acts of Congress to flog a soldier, and no man can law- 
fully do so. I tell you, general, that I will use all the force at my 
command to protect these men, and you touch one of them at 
your peril." I do not think it necessary to tell you that those 
soldiers were not flogged ; and I am satisfied that you will 
agree with me that General Steedman did assume great and 
grave responsibilities. 

Much has been said of the battle of Chickamauga, and a 
great deal more has been written about it, yet the subject is 
far from being exhausted. It is not my intention to speak of 
the general movements of the army or of its several corps in 
that battle, but of the part taken by Steedman and his divis- 
ion. In speaking upon this subject I am not forgetful of the 
fact that there are those who differ with the friends of Steed- 
man. I also know that the general's own report is the basis 
of all other reports, and the only ground upon which they 
frame their argument. Neither do I forget that a controversy 
has grown out of this, and been forced by one who personally 
knew nothing of the facts, and that this controversy was 
renewed immediately after the general's death. I also know 
that General Steedman was silent while living — not one word 
ever passed his lips in vindication of himself; and I know the 
reason why. Shall I tell you the reason? Listen; and you 
will learn, before I close. Of the cause of these attacks upon 



i5 

our dead hero, the reasons assigned for the same, and the per- 
son making them, I wish to say but a few words, as they are 
of no consequence to you or me, my friends, and certainly of 
no interest to the general public. This much I do desire to 
say. The author of the articles reflecting upon General Steed- 
man's integrity, his honor and soldierly conduct, never was in 
a position to know what Steedman did at Chickamauga, and 
not one of the witnesses he has called to his aid or from whom 
he has quoted (I care not of what rank or position) knows any 
more of the subject than himself. Could that person who has 
been so unkind and so unmanly as to make those dastardly 
and cowardly attacks upon the fair name of him in whose 
honor we have this day assembled, but feel in his own breast 
one such noble pulsation as always throbbed in the warm, gen- 
erous, and magnanimous heart of Steedman, he would realize 
his own craven-heartedness, his own shame, and forever after 
hide his name and person from the public view. 

General Granger's name has been associated with that of 
Steedman's in this discussion. I am not surprised, for Granger 
was there. He was Steedman's corps commander, and he was 
at Rossville and vicinity during the time now under discussion. 
The friends of General Steedman know this to be true. I 
know it to be true, for I saw him there, and General Steedman 
in his report says that Granger was there. But when I tell you 
that the author of the attacks upon Steedman inquired of 
one who knew all the facts connected with the campaign of 
Chickamauga, and learned them but to suppress them, you will 
agree with me that he is beneath the notice of an honest man, 
and that to withhold his name is to deprive him of that infam- 
ous notoriety he so anxiously seeks. 

That General Granger was a brave man no one will ques- 
tion ; but he had some grave faults, which seriously detracted 
from his usefulness, and of which I am made more free to 
speak by reason of a statement of some of them in a recent 
article in the Century, by an officer who was very intimately 
connected with him as one of his staff. Besides, in writing the 
history of events, justice and right judgment of men and their 
acts must be our object, and reasons may arise even for stating 
the faults of a brave man. General Granger was unpopular 



i6 

in his own command, and an unwelcome visitor at head- 
quarters. To his subordinates he was exacting and overbear- 
ing, while to his superiors he was discourteous. He was 
forever criticising the actions of his superiors, caviling at their 
orders, and condemning their movements. For this he was 
so much disliked that his commanding officers would rather he 
was not with them. Granger's criticisms were keen, but not 
always just. No one could detect a weak point in the line or 
a false move more readily than Granger, but he lacked the 
genius or the ability to strengthen the one or to correct the 
other. 

No two men were more unlike than Granger and Steed- 
man. Granger was an educated soldier; critical almost to 
insubordination ; always looking for opportunities, frequently 
leaving his command to find them, but never ready to take 
advantage of them when found. Steedman was a citizen-sol- 
dier; ever obedient; always with his command; quick of per- 
ception ; ready to grasp an opportunity or assume a responsi- 
bility; of iron will and resolute determination to do right, no 
matter what the personal consequences. 

Granger's weakness was artillery. To those who were with 
him at Franklin, I need but recall the fact that while Van 
Dorn was attacking our lines, Granger was sighting the siege 
guns of the fort at his skirmish lines. Men who were at Tri- 
une will remember that he was fooling around the guns in the 
field works while Steedman was pursuing Forrest. Granger 
was at Chickamauga, but his ruling passion led him to give his 
attention to a battery, though not one of his own, as they 
were not sufficiently stationary for his purpose. While at 
Mission Ridge, General Grant had to inform him that his 
place was with his troops and not in Fort Wood. For these 
reasons, if none other, it can readily be seen that Granger 
could not be a favorite at headquarters, particularly when 
work was to be done and grave responsibilities assumed. 

It is well known that certain members of Stecdman's staff, 
myself included, have stated that for several days prior to and 
during the battle of Chickamauga, that General Steedman was 
acting under direct orders from department headquarters. I 
never expect to know the reason why, but at that time we 



*7 

thought Rosecrans did not know of Granger's presence. I 
now know that Rosecrans did know of Granger's presence, and 
am therefore forced to believe that he preferred that Steed- 
man should have that particular command under his own im- 
mediate orders. Subsequent events vindicated his judgment. 
Letters have been written to General Rosecrans upon the 
subject of his orders to Steedman, to which he replies: "No 
orders to any subordinates are remembered by me." The 
best memory, my friends, may be honestly at fault, and it 
therefore becomes necessary that we should examine the record 
and ascertain the facts. Having been a member of General 
Steedman's military family, and riding beside him in those 
eventful September days, I recollect something of the facts 
and incidents of those days, and have copies of dispatches and 
orders which will throw much light on Steedman's movements, 
and will show under whose orders he was acting. 

September 17, 1863, General Steedman was ordered to 
make a reconnoisance toward Graysville, to ascertain if the 
enemy was in force at that place. Taking Mitchell's brigade 
and the two regiments under LaFavour, we proceeded on the 
reconnoisance. Sending a scout into Graysville, and finding 
no enemy, we pushed on to Ringgold, where we found a 
brigade of rebel cavalry and a body of infantry. After a 
sharp skirmish, finding the enemy moving a force toward our 
flanks, we withdrew and fell back several miles, going into 
bivouac for the night, and returning to Rossville about 2 P.M. 
the next day. On our return to camp, Steedman reported to 
Granger, whose headquarters were near ours, and the follow- 
ing was signaled department headquarters : 

September 18, 1863, 2:30 P.M. 

General Rosecrans: Steedman has just returned to camp. 
Report is now on the way to your headquarters. Went to Grays- 
ville and Ringgold. Scott's brigade of rebel cavalry moved in 
two columns toward Lafayette and Dalton, upon his approaching. 
Minty is at Reed's bridge. G. Granger, 

Major-General. 

This same afternoon, Whitaker was sent to the Chicka- 
mauga, where it crosses the Ringgold road ; McCook to his 
right at Reed's bridge ; Mitchell was soon after ordered to 



i8 

reinforce McCook, while LaFavour remained at Rossville. 
The orders for these movements can not be found, and, as Gen- 
eral Steedman's papers were destroyed by fire in this city, we 
must look elsewhere for evidence to support this statement. 

The following official dispatches have an important bearing 
upon these movements, and show plainly under whose orders 
General Steedman was acting: 

Rossville, September iS, 1863. 

General Garfield: General Steedman sent the second brig- 
ade (Mitchell's) toward Reed's bridge immediately /upon receipt 
of your order. W. C. Russell, 

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General. 

Rossville Signal Station, September 18, 1S63. 
(Received 11 p. m.) 
General Gordon Granger (care Major-General Rosecrans): 
McCook has just reported his arrival at Reed's bridge, but could 
not find Minty. He captured five prisoners, who said they be- 
longed to Johnston's brigade. They represent Texas, Louisiana, 
and Arkansas. Firing has been heard by McCook in the direction 
of Whitaker. The citizens report that Minty moved off to the 
north, which is not believed. Mitchell's brigade was sent to 
reinforce McCook, but General Steedman thinks he should 
direct Mitchell to reinforce Whitaker, but will await your orders, 
as Mitchell's brigade was sent on General Rosecrans's orders. A 
wagon train crossed Reed's bridge just in advance of McCook's 
vanguard. Reed's bridge and Peeler's are certainly separate and 
distinct. Please give necessary instructions. 

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
W. C. Russell, 

Assistant Adjutant-General. 

Captain Russell was Granger's assistant adjutant-general, 
and wrote these dispatches by order of Steedman, for the rea- 
son that Captain Moe and myself were absent, having gone to 
the front with the troops named. The first dispatch, you will 
notice, is to the chief of staff of the general commanding, and 
says in language not to be mistaken: "General Steedman sent 
the second brigade (Mitchell's) toward Reed's bridge immedi- 
ately upon receipt of your order." The second dispatch is to 
Granger, care of General Rosecrans, giving the former infor- 
mation as to the movements in Steedman's front. You will 



J 9 

observe that Steedman thinks Mitchell should be sent to 
reinforce Whitaker, but says he will await Granger's orders, 
"as Mitchell's brigade was sent on General Rosecranss orders/' 

There is no place in history where you find such an exhibi- 
tion of self-sacrificing soldierly qualities in a subordinate com- 
mander as appears in these dispatches and was always found 
in Steedman's intercourse with Granger. Knowing the dislike 
there was to Granger, Steedman communicates to him, on his 
return from Ringgold, the information obtained, that he may 
report to the commanding general, and, now that important 
movements are taking place in his front, Steedman has him 
advised, and asks orders from him. All this while, as I have 
shown you, he is acting under the direct orders of General 
Rosecrans, and reporting directly to his headquarters. 

The dispatches just read were forwarded early in the even- 
ing, and a few hours later the following from General Steed- 
man himself was sent direct to the chief of staff at department 
headquarters : 

Headoi/arters First Division Reserve Corps, i 
Rossville, Ga., September 18, 1863, 11 p.m. f 

General Garfield: General Whitaker met resistance three 
miles from this point, on the Rossville road. He drove the 
enemy half a mile, lost one killed and four wounded, and is now 
on a creek that crosses the road this side of the Chickamauga. 
I have ordered him to hold his position until daylight, and then, 
if able to do so with safety, to advance to the Chickamauga. 

I have but two regiments to take care of the property here 
and reinforce Whitaker. Jas. B. Steedman, 

Brigadier-General. 

Can you now doubt under whose orders General Steedman 
was acting? 

It is said that McCook's and Mitchell's brigades were never 
moved by Steedman, under the direct orders of General Rose- 
crans. I submit that Steedman's dispatches, written by 
Granger's adjutant-general to Garfield and Granger, and his 
report of 11 p.m., September 18th, to department headquarters, 
written by himself, are ample evidence of the fact that they 
were moved by Steedman, that Granger had nothing to do 
with the movement, and that the orders were direct from 



20 

General Rosecrans. Should there still be doubt upon this 
subject in the mind of anyone present, the order I now read 
you will settle this question beyond all dispute, and I trust 
for all time: 

Department Headquarters, September 19, 1863. 
(Received 3 a.m.) 
Gen. J. B. Steedman: The general commanding directs that 
you send for McCook and the other brigade (Mitchell's) with 
all possible speed for orders to you. Orders to Whitaker are 
right. R. S. Thomas, 

Captain and Aide-de-Camp. 

This order was urgent, and was duplicated in fifteen min- 
utes, for Walker's division of the rebel army had crossed the 
Chickamauga the evening previous but a few hundred yards 
above Reed's bridge, and the bridge itself was in the possession 
of the enemy. The order was written about 1 A.M., Septem- 
ber 19th, but two hours later than the receipt of the dispatch 
by Granger at department headquarters, in which Steedman 
asked him for orders concerning these same brigades. Did he 
give the orders? I think you will agree with me that he did 
not. Can you then doubt under whose orders General Steed- 
man was acting? 

Now a few words as to McCook and the burning of Reed's 
bridge. There was an attempt to burn the bridge, but it was 
made by Minty. Several plank had been torn off, and a fire 
was kindled at the north end, but our forces were driven away 
and the fire put out by the rebels; for I have it upon the au- 
thority of Mr. Reed that the Confederates borrowed "one old 
bucket " from his mother for that purpose. McCook thought, 
as a little brush had been fired, the bridge must burn, and 
reported that he had destroyed it. He also reported that 
there was but one rebel brigade across the stream, and that he 
was about to " gobble " it when Steedman recalled him. Gen- 
eral Thomas, acting upon that statement, sent Baird's and 
Brannan's divisions to take in McCook's "rebel brigade," only 
to have them overpowered by a superior force of Bragg's 
army. Reed's bridge was not destroyed until after the battle 
of Mission Ridge, when Bragg ordered it destroyed by his own 
army. The fact is, the enemy had driven Minty from the 



21 

bridge and had possession long before McCook could possibly 
have reached it. The few plank torn up were speedily re- 
placed by others taken from Mr. Reed's house, and the bridge 
was used to cross the enemy's ambulances on the 19th and 
20th, in conveying their wounded from the front of Thomas's 
left. 

Only last December, in company with Colonel Moe, I 
visited Mr. Reed's house, the bridge, and the battlefield, and 
thoroughly investigated this subject. The younger Reed 
(James) is now residing in the old home. He was in the bat- 
tle, was a member of the First Georgia Confederate infantry, 
and was the guide that conducted Walker's division across at 
a private ford, but a short distance above his father's bridge, 
on the evening of the 18th. 

The following note of inquiry from General Thomas was 
turned over to General Steedman, for his answer, as Granger 
could not answer it, not being in command, or assuming to be 
in command, of General Steedman's division, and knowing 
nothing of the situation : 

Headquarters 14x11 Army Corps, 

Department of the Cumberland, 
Near McDaniel's House, September 19, 1863, 1 p.m. 
Gen. Gordon Granger, Rossville : Please give me the state 
of affairs with you. We have taken many prisoners from Vir- 
ginia regiments and Johnston's army, showing Bragg has been 
reinforced from both. 

Very respectfully your obedient servant, 

Geo. H. Thomas, 
Major-General U. S. Volunteers, Commanding. 

This note was addressed to General Granger, at Rossville, 
where his headquarters were; but there were no troops there, 
as Steedman had ordered up the two regiments mentioned in 
his dispatch of the 18th. General Granger did not answer this 
note, but forwarded it to the officer in command at the front; 
and his answer is as follows: 



22 

Headquarters First Division Reserve Corps, j 
McAfee's Chapel or Springs, September 19, 1863, 9 v. v.. ) 
Commanding Officer Forces on the Left, Fourteenth Army Corps, De- 
partment of the Cumberland : 
General : I have the honor to report that my command is 
now occupying a line extending across the old Federal or Upper 
Ringgold road, extending to the Cleveland road on the left, and 
in the supposed direction of the left of the Fourteenth Army 
Corps, on the right some half mile. I am some three miles from 
Rossville, on a small stream designated on our map as the West 
Chickamauga. 

I send an orderly to find your left. The enemy are in consid- 
erable force in my front, this side of the Chickamauga river. I 
intend to attack them in the morning. Please give me such in- 
formation as will be of interest, in regard to the position of your 
left. 

A portion of my command was engaged this p.m. with a supe- 
rior force of the enemy, much to the credit of my troops engaged. 
I have the honor, etc.. 

Respectfully your obedient servant, 

James B. Stef.dman, 
Brigadier-General Commanding Division. 

The dispatches and orders read you, cover September 18th 
and 19th, and prove conclusively that Granger was not com- 
manding Steedman ; and as additional evidence of that fact, I 
now give you the only written order received by General 
Steedman on September 20th, and direct from General Rose- 
crans. This order was received at McAfee Church, between 
the hours of 8 and 9 A.M. : 

Headquarters Department ok the Cumberland, t 
McDaniel's House, September 20, 1863, 6:30 a.m. j 

Brigadier General J. B. Steedman: The General com- 
manding directs me to say that General Thomas reports the 
enemy in force on his left, and wishes you to be on the lookout. 
Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

Frank S. Bond, 

Major and Aide-de-Camp. 

The following from General Thomas, is added, to show 
whom he believed to be in command upon his left : 



23 

Headquarters Fourteenth Army Corps, | 
In the Field, September 20, 1863, 8 o'clock. f 
General J. A. Garfield : Your note of this morning just 
received. I am moving my force near the road leading from 
McDaniel's to Reed's bridge, ready for any attack that the enemy 
may make upon myself or on General Steedman's front, who, I 
understand, is posted near the Little Chickamauga, on the Red 
House road. Are we in supporting distance of each other? If 
not, you had better report to General Rosecrans at once. 
Very respectfully, 

Geo. H. Thomas, 

Major-General Commanding. 

The order of 6:30 A. M., September 20th, from General 
Rosecrans, was the only order, as before stated, received by 
Steedman that day, except the following verbal orders from 
General Thomas: First, to support Wood; second, to move 
to the extreme right, beyond Brannan ; and, last of all, the 
order of the evening: "To hold position occupied until all 
the troops on the left had passed to the rear, and then to fall 
back to the right and rear, and cover the army in its retreat." 

The dispatch of General Thomas at 8 A. M. expresses 
anxiety to have Steedman within supporting distance. For- 
tunately we have evidence of Thomas's estimation of the man 
on whom he relied, and whom we meet to honor this day; for 
about four years later, in conversation with General DePeyster, 
U. S. A., when DePeyster asked him the question, "Who was 
the best division commander that you had under you — most 
trustworthy, most efficient?" Thomas answered, "Steedman." 
To this staunch support he looked on that eventful day. 
Steedman was at that time over three miles to the left, and 
when he moved to the support of Thomas during the battle, 
he had a good four miles to march. 

How well I remember that bright and cold Sabbath morn- 
ing in Georgia. As the sun rose, and dispelled the mist and 
melted the frost, the beautiful valley lay peaceful and quiet 
before us. The men had risen from their places in the line of 
battle, cold, stern, and defiant. Not a shot was heard along 
the lines, yet each knew there was deadly work before him. 
A scanty breakfast was all that time, place, or inclination per- 
mitted. Each soldier carefully examined his musket, grasping 



24 



the same more firmly— may I say, affectionately— as he opened 
his cartridge-box or dived down into his pockets to make sure 
that he had a full supply of ammunition. Pallid were the faces, 
but firm the lips, of the brave men who had stood the storm of 
battle the day before. Anxious were the inquiries for comrades 
who had fallen or were missing, and low the response. Each 
soldier had some wish to make known, or some charge to give 
a comrade, as he piepared for the deadly work before him. 
How intense the suspense! Steedman's division was in line 
across the Ringgold road, to the front of McAfee Church, 
charged with the duty of preventing the enemy from turning 
our flank and getting into Chattanooga. Nine o'clock, and the 
sad, low, and sullen boom of a gun on the enemy's left was 
heard, as though sounding a requiem over the dead of yester- 
day. This was soon followed by another and still another, 
changing that requiem into a fierce defiance for the day. This 
was the signal for the attack; but it was still delayed. The 
stillness, however, was broken ; for occasionally could be heard 
the sharp crack of the rifle, the zip of the bullet, and the 
screech of a shell, while from along the extended front came 
the rattling fire of the skirmishers and the roar of an occasional 
battery. 

Watching the movements of the enemy, stood General 
Steedman, surrounded by his staff, when, quietly mounting, he 
bade me accompany him. Taking a staff officer or two and a 
few orderlies, we rode from one end of the line to the other, 
drawing the enemy's fire as we passed. Calling my attention' 
to the straggling shots of the rebels and a cloud of dust rising 
to our front and right in the heavy timber, the General 
remarked: "There will be no fighting here to-day; the fighting 
will be on our right." 

As we returned to the Ringgold road, the firing was becom- 
ing heavier in the direction of Thomas, the terrific roar of artil- 
lery and frequent firing by volley indicating that the battle was 
raging on his front. We here met General Granger and several 
members of his staff, who had just come out from Rossville, 
and whom Steedman addressed with the customary salutations! 
General Granger responded, and made inquiries as to the situa- 
tion. 



_25__ 

After informing Granger of the movements we had discov- 
ered and the apparent weakness of the enemy in our front, 
General Steedman said : " From the firing we have heard I am 
satisfied that the fighting will be on our right to-day and it is- 
my opinion that we ought to go to the support of Thomas 
General Granger agreed with Steedman as to the situation, and 
replied- "It does seem so; but you know your orders. You 
are directed to hold this road and prevent the enemy from get- 
ting in our rear." « I know it," answered Steedman, "but the 
situation is changed; and if General Rosecrans was here, he 
would relieve me, and order me to Thomas. To this Genera 
Granger responded : << I think myself he would ; but he is not 
here, and it is a fearful responsibility, General Steedman, to 
assume to disobey an order and leave a position in the face of 
the enemy; and as an officer of the regular army I could not 
advise you to do so." Steedman s answer was brief but em- 
phatic: "I know it, General Granger; but I am an officer of the 
volunteer army; I dare assume the responsibility, and I will 

At this point in the conversation I was ordered to McAfee 
Church, to collect the staff and then see to the movement of 
the troops. While executing these orders, Generals Granger 
and Steedman rode to the high ground upon our left from 
which they could obtain a better view of the field Here a 
similar conversation took place, at which Captain Moe was 
present, and which he has published over his own signature. 

I now submit that any person who was not within hearing 
of these conversations between those officers is not a competent 
witness to affirm or deny the same. The movement from the 
Ringgold road to the support of General Thomas was Steed- 
manf, and Steedman s only. There could ^ - division o 
the responsibility. Steedman asked none; and had it been a 
mistake, Steedman would have permitted no one to share the 
responsibility, but would have bravely borne it himself, and 
alone would have suffered the penalty. 

The dispatches and orders relating to the operations of 
Steedman's division, from September 17th to the close of the 
battle on the night of the 20th, have been given you, and I 
submit that they fully prove that Steedman was acting under 
the direct orders of his commander-in-chief. 



26 

Rejoining Stecdman as the troops moved out into column, 
I rode beside him in the advance until we approached some 
buildings near the Cloud House, on the Lafayette road, which 
Thomas had used for his field hospital the day before, and 
which were about two miles to the left and rear of the line he 
then held. We were here fired into by the enemy. We rode 
back to the command, line of battle was formed, the hospital 
was recaptured, and some prisoners taken. Mitchell's brigade 
continued to move in line, left resting on the Lafayette road. 
McCook had been left to the right and rear in reserve, while 
Whitaker, with LaFavour's regiments, was moving in column 
by division. 

While we were crossing the open space between the Lafay- 
ette road and General Thomas's position at the Snodgrass 
house, a rebel battery on our left opened upon us, killing and 
wounding several men in Whitaker's brigade. As Mitchell's 
line of march was leading too far to the left and into a body 
of timber, I was sent to bring him out, and did so, just as the 
enemy had opened fire on him. About this time General 
Thomas, becoming alarmed at the firing in his rear, asked for 
some one to go and ascertain what troops were there. Capt. 
G. M. L. Johnson, of General Negley's staff, volunteered to do 
so. The captain was a brave man ; and fearing we were a 
body of the enemy, to save his life, he lay flat upon his horse, 
plunged his spurs up to their rowels in its side, and rode into 
our lines. We soon assured him we were friends, when he 
joined the general and myself, and rode with us to General 
Thomas, who was near the Snodgrass house, and upon his last 
line of defense. 

After an expression of pleasure from General Thomas at 
our opportune arrival, we were assigned a position on his 
left centre, to support Gen. Thomas J. Wood. We had not 
yet become engaged when an officer from General Thomas in- 
formed Steedman that the enemy was moving toward Thomas's 
right, and that the general directed him to withdraw from sup- 
port of Wood and move rapidly in the same direction. Mov- 
ing the troops by the right flank clown the valley, General 
Steedman, Captain Moe, and myself rode on the high ground 
to their left, pausing a few moments as we passed General 



27 

Thomas. He briefly informed Steedman of the situation, 
when we rode on to the extreme right and beyond Brannan. 
General Granger was with Thomas as we came up, and we left 
him there. I positively know that he did not accompany us. 

Having reached the extreme right, and beyond all troops, 
we saw the enemy's line, which was pushing down the valley 
on our left, halt and front; whereupon Steedman directed me 
to ride down, "halt the first brigade, front, and move up the 
hill on the double quick." The same order was given Captain 
Moe as to the second brigade, the general following in a few 
minutes to take command of the line. 

This was at ten minutes past one P.M., which I shall not 
soon forget ; for while we sat on our horses, waiting the forma- 
tion of the lines, Moe, pulling out his watch, said: "General, 
there is always a controversy as to the time when important 
events take place. It is just one, ten"; and as he put up his 
watch, Steedman's stentorian voice was heard above the roar 
of battle: "Forward, the First Division! Double quick, men, 
and give them h — 1 ! " 

Brief was the time, and short the distance up that ridge, 
my friends; but eternity is short compared to the experience 
of the few moments which elapsed before the lines of Steed- 
man's bristling bayonets encountered those of the veteran 
Longstreet. That contest was a contest of Greeks. Volley 
upon volley was exchanged, and bayonet crossed bayonet, 
until the ground was crimson with the blood of those brave 
men. One-fourth of the boys in blue, and an equal number 
•of those in gray, were killed or wounded in that encounter; 
but the gallant Steedman held the ground, and the Dry Valley 
Road was ours. It was during one of these desperate charges 
(for there were several of them) that a regiment gave way 
before the fierce onslaught of the Confederates, observing 
which I hastened to repair. Lieut. George W. Pepoon, of 
General Whitaker's staff, the only one not killed or wounded 
— the general himself being among the latter — and Lieut. J. 
B. Hayes, Nineteenth U. S. Infantry, of General Steedman's 
staff, reporting to me, I ordered Pepoon to the right flank and 
Hayes to the left, to assist in rallying the regiment. We had 
nearly succeeded in doing this (for the boys were brave, but 



28 

had been outnumbered and subject to a flanking fire), when- 
General Steedman came up, on foot, stern, angry, and defiant. 
His horse had been killed, and he was thrown over its head, 
falling upon his hands and face upon the flinty ground. Arms, 
hands, and face were severely cut, torn, and bleeding. Hat- 
less, and with hair dishevelled, that magnificent form of his 
seeming to tower giant-like above the rest, the embodiment of 
a hero amid the thunders of battle, he paused but a moment 
to exchange words with the color sergeant, when, grasping the 
flag, he sprang to the front, shouting : " Boys you may disgrace 
yourselves, but these colors never can be disgraced. I'll carry 
your colors, if you'll defend them! Go back, boys, go back; 
but your colors never!" Inspired by the heroism of their 
commander, the regiment rallied, and advanced to the front, 
and, the whole line joining in the charge, we drove the enemy 
over the ridge. 

While we were re-forming after this charge, an incident 
occurred which was so characteristic of Steedman that I must 
give it you. The general being on foot, I dismounted, and 
gave him my horse, which he accepted, and as he was about 
to ride away I said to him: "General, if you should be killed 
and I survive you, what disposition do you wish made of your 
body and your effects?" His reply was: " Major, I have no 
request to make. I shall not be killed. We shall both live 
through this battle, and we will whip h — 1 out of them yet." 
Having ridden a short distance, he wheeled his horse, and 
came back to me saying : " Yes, major, I have a request to 
make. If I am killed, and you survive me, have my body and 
effects sent home ; and see that these d — d newspaper report- 
ers spell my name correctly." The general, as you must know, 
was very sensitive as to the spelling of his name, and, having 
misspelled it myself when first assigned to his staff, I fully 
appreciated his command. 

After securing another horse, there being a temporary lull 
in the battle, the general, Captain Moe, and myself rode to 
the left, to see how Thomas had fared. We there met General 
Garfield, who had just come up, and again saw Granger. This 
was about 4 P.M., and was the last time I saw General Granger 
upon the field. 



29 

Returning to our command, we held the enemy until near 
dark, when, being hard pressed and out of ammunition, Colo- 
nel LaFavour made a bayonet charge by my order, and we 
lost the Twenty-second Michigan and Eighty-ninth Ohio, but 
the line was maintained. We remained in this position until 
one hour or more after sundown, and all the troops were with- 
drawn, when Captain Moe and myself retired with the last of 
our line, passing through McFarland's Gap, and thence, by 
road, to Rossville. 

You may think me an enthusiast on the subject of Steed- 
man. I give you facts to justify that enthusiasm ; he richly 
deserved all the praise you people of Ohio gave him, and now 
bestow upon his memory. 

For untold wealth I would not detract from the honor due 
any man, I care not how great or how unimportant his ser- 
vices to country or humanity. Neither would I pluck a single 
leaf from the laurel which crowns the brow of any soldier, even 
though it were to place another wreath upon the honored head 
of Steedman, but I will, here, everywhere, and at all times, 
defend the fair name, the honor, and martial fame of my old 
commander. 

It was upon the bloody field of Chickamauga that Gen. 
James Blair Steedman did more than any other one man, ex- 
cepting Gen. George H. Thomas, to save that grand old Army 
of the Cumberland from total annihilation and this Nation from 
an everlasting disgrace. Steedman's losses at Chickamauga 
were terrible; they were over forty-six per cent, of the command 
engaged, while the enemy's was equally as severe. 

It has been well said, " Steedman saved the Army of the 
Cumberland" in that great battle, and right nobly did he 
earn the title by which his soldiers loved to call him, " Old 
Chickamauga ! " 

Steedman's promotion to the rank of major-general of 
volunteers "for conspicuous gallantry at Chickamauga"; his 
subsequent command of the District of the Etowah ; his or- 
ganization of negro troops, and his magnificent fighting of the 
same, — are facts so well known that I need not repeat them. 
His faith in the loyalty of the negroes was remarkable ; and 
he always declared they would make good and brave soldiers. 



3Q 

I remember calling upon him a few days before the battle 
of Nashville, when he asked me if I would like to see the 
negroes fight. I assured him that it would give me great 
pleasure to see them under fire. He then told me that he was 
going to feel the enemy; that he would take a brigade of 
negroes and make a direct attack, sending a brigade of white 
troops upon the flank. We soon found the enemy, drove in 
his skirmishers, and carried his outer line ; when the enemy, 
being reinforced, we retired, having accomplished all that was 
desired. It was upon this occasion that Steedman came so near 
capturing Gen. Frank Cheatham; and when he learned this from 
the prisoners, Steedman declared that he would have given his 
commission to have captured Cheatham with his negro brigade. 

While falling back, we observed a rebel captain whom a 
darkey had captured ; and riding up to him, the general asked 
"Of what regiment?" "Fourth Texas," was the response. 
Steedman then said, " Captain, I suppose you have owned 
slaves, and this man ma}' have been one of them. How do you 
like to be captured by a negro?" Like the brave man the 
captain was, he promptly answered: "Yes, General, I have 
owned slaves. I don't think this is one of them. I have been 
four years in the arm}', and have learned to have great respect 
for the infantry arm of the service; and when I can look down 
the barrel of a rifle, I never pause to inquire who is at the other 
end of it." 

My friends and fellow-countrymen, I have detained you too 
long; but if I have told you anything new of General Steed- 
man I am content. If I have succeeded in proving to you 
that General Steedman did command the First Division of the 
Reserve Corps at Chickamauga under the direct orders of the 
commander of the Department, I am well repaid for my labor. 
If I have made plain to you that to Steedman is due the honor 
of moving that division to the support of General Thomas in 
that memorable battle, my work will have been well done, and 
I shall feel that a labor of love has been faithfully performed. 

A few words, and I am done. I wish to speak of the 
general's own report of that action, and why the "face of the 
returns " is against us. 



3 1 

In the report written by the assistant adjutant-general, 
Captain Moe, the proper source of orders and the real facts 
as to the movements and personal action of General Steed- 
man were truthfully set forth. On the report being sub- 
mitted to Steedman, in the greatness of his soul, and in the 
magnificent generosity of his noble nature, he turned to Moe, 
saying: "Captain Moe, this report would be unkind to Gen- 
eral Granger. You know he is not in favor at headquarters. 
You know that he was frequently with us, and I can afford 
to treat him generously." And taking up his pen he drew it 
through the lines creditable to himself, and inserted, " General 
Granger ordered me to move to the battlefield as rapidly as 
possible. * * * My troops fought under the eye of the 
major-general commanding the corps," etc., etc. Thus wrote 
Steedman, notwithstanding Captain Moe and myself knew that 
Steedman was alone responsible for the movement from the 
Ringgold road to the support of Thomas, and that it was 
against the advice of the major-general to whom he was now 
giving all the credit. But, had the movement been a failure, 
and the enemy turned our flank, annihilated our army, and en- 
dangered the perpetuity of the Nation, General Steedman would 
then have written: " I made the movement on my own responsi- 
bility. The major-general commanding the corps is not respon- 
sible for my mistake "; and he would manfully have taken upon 
himself the penalties, the shame, and the eternal disgrace which 
would have followed his disobedience of the orders of his com- 
mander. A victory, however, — a victory so grand and great, — 
having perched upon his standard, he became oblivious to 
self, and gave the credit to one for whom he sympathized, his 
superior in rank, but one who was in no respect entitled to it. 

Oh ! generous soul, pure and unselfish patriot, gallant 
soldier ! This monument to thy heroism shall crumble and 
decay. Generations will come and go, and this statue become 
dust, but the record of thy deeds of valor, thy devotion to 
principle, and thy sacrifices for country, shall not be forgotten 
while Liberty finds a resting-place upon this earth. 



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